I have loved John’s Gospel from the day I became a Christian. I have loved the Prologue of John’s Gospel for almost as long.

A prologue is an introduction to something. The Tour de France has a Prologue race but best we don’t talk about that at the moment. The Prologue to John’s Gospel is almost universally considered to be the first eighteen verses of the first chapter (John 1:1-18).

I committed this small slab of the Bible to memory many years ago. I have rehearsed it in my mind in the early hours of the morning of many a sleepless night. I have recited it to troubled, sick and dying people beside many a hospital bed. I have dramatised it as a soliloquy at church meetings as a variation on simply reading it out loud.

Yes, I cherish the Prologue of John’s Gospel. Of any literature, whether contemporary or historical, there is not a prologue like it. It is without peer. It is the prince of prologues.

But I want to ask a question. How far does it extend? Does it stop at verse 18? Or could a plausible argument be mounted for it extending to verse 51 – all of Chapter One?

To suggest such a thing flies in the face of all theological reflection that I am aware of. But let us remember that theologians are rarely blessed with any other insights than the words of John’s Gospel itself. They could argue in their favour the solidarity of unanimous reflection over the centuries but that doesn’t, ipso facto, make them right.

Here’s an example of why you shouldn’t necessarily accept the opinion of theologians, even those that you have great confidence in, without first reflecting long and hard on the text of the Bible yourself. About twenty years ago a theologian put to me that the Prologue of John (John 1:1-18) was all about the pre-existent, pre-incarnate Christ.

But then he said that there were some exceptions to this, most obviously verse 14 and I suggested some more. The exceptions were more voluminous than the rule. We just looked at each other and smiled.

I am going to offer three reasons why I think the whole of John Chapter One should be considered as prologue to the body of the Gospel rather than just verses 1-18.

The Signs

Firstly because John 2:1-11 records the first sign that Jesus did in the presence of his disciples. The theme of ‘signs’ is central to the Gospel and the Gospel is, to some degree, structured around them.

John’s purpose in writing (John 20:30-31) is to selectively write about a small number of signs. Jesus did many signs that John has chosen not to record (for focus and brevity). But he has carefully selected a few (seven?). These seven all had the same purpose; to bring people to faith in Jesus.

It seems fair to assume that what precedes the first sign is introductory or ‘prologuish’.

Nathanael’s Testimony

Secondly, I want to focus on the closing scene of John Chapter One. Nathanael has declared Jesus to be the Son of God and the King of Israel. The body of the Gospel that follows will spell out the details of both his Sonship and his Kingship.

Jesus’ response to Nathanael is to affirm his ‘belief’ as he does with Thomas in Chapter 20. Belief is another significant theme of the Gospel. Nathanael, (and the reader) is put on notice that there will be greater things to come to catch the eye of faith.

So from Chapter Two the battle for belief is on in earnest from the first of the signs (John 2:1-11) to the great death and resurrection signs. These ‘signs’ becomes the climax of the Gospel and lead to Thomas’ eventual belief (John 20:24-31).

Jesus adds a cryptic statement about Nathanael seeing heaven open and angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man (John 1:51). This image is drawn from the Old Testament. Applied by Jesus here, it refers to the glory of God resting on Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Israel. How this glory is revealed in Jesus, and especially in His death (John 12:25-33) is one of the themes that will be magnified in the eyewitness account that follows.

John The Baptist

Thirdly, I would like us to reconsider the place of John the Baptist. He is the last in a long line of Old Testament figures. But he is also the ultimate segue. Like the prophets before him who spoke of the coming Messiah, John points people to Jesus (John 1:6-9, 15, 19-37). When someone introduces a theatre performance, the floodlight shifts as the curtains open. The introducer disappears and the drama begins. John the Baptist is part of the prologue, and his ministry is described before and after verse 18.

Am I saying all this to denigrate the faithful work of theologians who love the Bible? Am I having a swipe at those who have dedicated their lives to scholarly pursuits so that others will love the Bible? Is this just armchair rhetoric, a bit of boutique blogging? Absolutely not!

I have read many fine books on John’s Gospel and have appreciated the scholarly reflection and disciplined application of their authors. I have also written a very unscholarly book based on John’s Gospel and am struggling to finish an equally unscholarly sequel.

But there is nothing like the very words of John’s Gospel. I say again, there is nothing like the loving words of the Living God. May that be our first reference point and our last reference point, whatever else we read about John’s Gospel by others in between.

Engage with the very words of the Gospel. Enjoy the very text of the Gospel. Engage, enjoy and obey Him who is both the glorious author and sublime subject of this Gospel. Thrill to His voice, and like sheep who hear the voice of their shepherd (John 10:3,4 &16), follow Him.